'We're not afraid of Dublin'

YOU can't blame the Kildare footballers for dreaming about winning an All-Ireland title.

It has been the prime motivation for Mick O'Dwyer ever since an offer to help out on a short-term basis turned into a decade of quite remarkable commitment. And it has been the same for all of the players who have joined him in his quest, many of whom have never played under any manager.

Defender Ken Doyle says that while their aim all along has been to win the provincial title, it's only natural that they have wider ambitions. "Really we'd love to get an All-Ireland as well, having won Leinster in 1998 and 2000," he says. Equally, he agrees that Kildare's form for a lot of this year wouldn't inspire confidence in them going that extra step this time.